LinkedIn vs. Instagram: Which Platform Should B2B Marketers Prioritize?

The answer should seem clear… but not everything is as it seems. For years, LinkedIn has reigned supreme when it comes to building an engaged audience of B2B customers, generating traction online, and increasing your brand visibility. But the mindset of the average B2B buyer has shifted and Instagram has become an equally viable contender. Many would argue to focus 100% of your focus on Instagram altogether, and step back from LinkedIn. So… what should you do?

What makes LinkedIn the ideal B2B social platform?

LinkedIn has always been the number one place to go to build relationships with other professionals. It’s a site that’s built for business networking and, as such, is perfect for B2B brands and marketers.

LinkedIn offers several unique features that make it ideal for businesses:

1. The ability to target by job title, company size, or other factors
2. LinkedIn Live lets you broadcast to your followers in real time
3. The ability to post long-form content that can be shared and commented on

All in all, LinkedIn was built with a B2B audience in mind, and the tools and features that exist on LinkedIn make it the perfect place to reach these customers.

Benefits of using LinkedIn.

On top of being the best platform for building relationships with other professionals, LinkedIn also offers a few unique benefits that make it the ideal place for B2B brands and marketers. Below, we’re going to break them down by application.

Building an audience.

Building an audience of engaged potential customers is one of the main reasons to use LinkedIn for your B2B marketing. LinkedIn has over 500 million users, making it the perfect place to find potential customers that match your target market.

LinkedIn also allows you to target your audience by job title, company size, or other factors, which makes it easier than ever to reach your ideal buyer persona.

Generating business leads.

Lead generation is another key benefit of LinkedIn for B2B brands. Out of all social media platforms, LinkedIn has the highest conversion rate for B2B lead generation.

By using LinkedIn Sales Navigator – or even just their default, free search feature – you can filter and segment your audience by metrics like their job title, company size, or location, recent news publications, or other factors.

This makes it easy to find and connect with potential leads that are a good fit for your business.

Authentic networking & relationships.

LinkedIn is, first and foremost, a site for networking. It’s where you go to build relationships with other professionals in your industry, and it’s the perfect place to cultivate authentic relationships with potential customers.

The long-form content format allows you to share detailed insights about your business, which can help potential customers get to know you better and see the value you can offer them.

Of course, there are some very inauthentic people on LinkedIn – most notably outbound salespeople and appointment setters who only exist on the platform to generate leads for their parent company, and not use it as intended. The same could be said for many other channels, though.

Specific targeting.

As we mentioned above, LinkedIn offers some of the most specific targeting options of any social media platform. You can target your audience by job title, company size, or other factors, meaning that you have the power to connect with exactly the right kinds of people and businesses who you want to be having conversations with.

This specificity also allows you to tailor your content and messaging specifically for these individuals, increasing the chances that they’ll see value in what you have to offer.

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Automation.

Furthermore, LinkedIn allows a degree of automation to help you save time.

You can use LinkedIn’s built-in tools to schedule posts in advance, or use a third-party tool like Meet Alfred to automatically connect with potential leads or send out automated welcome messages when someone new joins your network.

Why is Instagram gaining popularity for B2B marketers?

Instagram, unlike LinkedIn, was not built for B2B networking but rather building relationships and sharing stories, photos, and videos about your personal life with your friends. What started out as a photo-sharing app for personal use has turned into a powerful business tool, though, and B2B marketers who aren’t paying attention to Instagram’s powerful reach are missing out.

Benefits of using Instagram.

Though it doesn’t offer the same level of specificity as LinkedIn, Instagram is gaining popularity for B2B marketers because it’s a place where you can build an audience quickly and easily. Here are just a few of the benefits of using Instagram for your B2B marketing:

Organic reach via “reels”.

Right now, Instagram’s “reels” are by far the most effective way to explode your brand visibility by leveraging social reach and video content.

A “reel” is a 15-60 second video that can be used to promote your brand or product. Unlike a regular post, which disappears after 24 hours, a “reel” lives inside of your Instagram grid forever, and even has its own dedicated tab on your profile.

Right now, brands, entrepreneurs, and personalities are taking advantage of the absolutely massive organic reach that Instagram “reels” allows, and that includes B2B marketers.

This makes Instagram an extremely powerful platform for B2B marketers who want to reach a large and engaged audience.

Natural & organic engagement.

Instagram is a platform where natural content thrives, and engagement is key. Users love interacting with brands that they feel are important to them, and Instagram is one of the best platforms for brands and their customers to engage with each-other.

Organic content on Instagram generates 4x the amount of engagement than posts with promotional content – this makes Instagram an ideal platform for B2B marketers who want to build relationships with their audience and create a sense of trust and familiarity.

Influencer marketing opportunities.

When you think of “Instagram influencers” you probably picture lifestyle bloggers or A-list celebrities, but the truth is that there are millions of micro-influencers (individuals with anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 followers) in every niche on Instagram – including your own business or brand niche, however obscure you think it might be.

B2B marketers can take advantage of this by partnering with influencers who have an audience that would be interested in what they have to offer. This could be as simple as featuring an influencer in a “reel” or collaborating on a carousel post, and can be extremely effective in driving traffic, generating leads, and building an engaged audience of ideal buyers.

Consumer mindset.

“But our ideal customer isn’t on Instagram” – sure, we get this objection a lot.

But it is dead wrong.

In 2022, there is almost no possibility that your ideal customer is not on Instagram.

That sales executive you pitched last month? She’s on Instagram. The potential investor you just met on LinkedIn? He has an Instagram.

And when those people are on Instagram, they are in the consumer mindset and are more receptive to brand communication and marketing. That’s the psychology of being on Instagram – people let their guard down, and engaging with a brand no longer feels like a chore, but a pleasure. Take advantage of this by being where your ideal customers are spending their time, and driving organic, natural engagement.

Which platform should you focus on?

Ultimately, that depends on the kind of person you are. Do you prefer the more formal, structured environment of LinkedIn, or the more relaxed, informal feel of Instagram? Do you want to build an audience quickly and easily (Instagram), or take your time and focus on quality relationships (LinkedIn)?

Both platforms have their pros and cons, and the best platform for you will depend on your own personal preferences and goals. Either way, we recommend that you at least start using Instagram for your B2B marketing efforts – the opportunities it provides are just too good to pass up, and the broken amount organic reach allowed by Instagram’s “reels” is not expected to stick around for long.